Don't Love Me

Drinks and Gossip

Tony and I are sitting at a high top at a cocktail place in the financial district. I feel so chic with me in my dress and him in his suit. I never thought this would be my crowd and while, deep down, it really isn't, I can at least blend in.

There was a Shirley Temple in a fancy cocktail glass waiting for me when I arrived. Tony knows I hate drinking alcohol and never pressures me to join him. He jokes that he likes having me around so that I can stop him when he does stupid stuff, but it's starting to feel like a full-time job. Tony is a horrible decision maker when drunk. He drunk dials exes, wants tattoos, pays for strangers' drinks, and tends to wander off if unsupervised.

The second I sit down, he says, "OMG girl, you have stirred up a s**t storm. I love it!"

"What is going on," I asked confused, "all I know is that I have a week off and a new address for where I'm going to be working. Am I in a different department?"

"Nope, by the end of the week you'll be out of Magna Corp and officially working for Ombra," he says dramatically.

'That makes sense. How did that happen?"

"Mr. Conti poached you from our company obviously," he says while rolling his eyes.

"How would that be obvious?" I ask.

"Did you not google Mr. Conti when you went home?"

"No," I respond, "why would I?"

"He is gorgeous, you have to at least be tempted to see pictures!"

"I would feel so creepy doing that," I say, cringing slightly, "Plus he is the hottest man alive and I don't need to be fantasizing about him."

"True," Tony concedes, "I spent way too much time looking at pictures today and now I want to look at more. It's an addiction. Too bad the rumors are that he's straight."

"Oh Tony," I say jokingly, "with your looks, you can turn any man gay."

Tony strikes a seductive pose that has us both falling off our chairs laughing.

"But in all seriousness, I've been working with his assistant and HR to get all the paperwork done to transfer you to their company and maintain your visa. They will be paying the rent on the apartment so you can stay where you are," he explains.

"Wow, I don't know how to take this," I say, "obviously they are saving me from a shitty situation, but I don't know what it will be like at Ombra."

"You'll be getting some papers in the mail with more information and a new contract," Tony explains. He reaches over and holds my hand comfortingly, saying, "Mr. Conti obviously has morals. If they assign you to a creep, then your HR report will actually matter."

"True," I concede, " I guess I'll just have to wait and see."

"That's the spirit!"

We finish off our cocktails and head to a restaurant for dinner. Tony's friends are slowly becoming my friends and Laura and Nate join us partway through dinner. I love the life I've been carving out for myself here. The only bad thing was Mr. Finch and now that he is out of my life, I feel so much relief.

Tony and his friends talk me into going to a club after dinner. It wasn't that hard because I absolutely love dancing. We go to Club81 which is perfect because it's a couple blocks away from my apartment, making the walk home easy.

We arrive around 11pm and there is already a line. "This sucks. We're going to have to wait out here for at least 30 minutes with this line," Laura says.

"I tell you every time we're stuck in line that all you need is a push-up bra and a sluttier dress and we'll get in right away," Tony jokes, "Don't complain about the line when you have all the power."

As Tony laughs, he knocks into Nate, who is lighting a cigarette and the lighter goes flying to the other side of the rope.

"What the f-ck Tony," Nate yells, "why are you so aggressive when you laugh!"

"Sorry man," Tony responds, not seeming sorry at all. "Lex, will you be a doll and grab that for us. Even in those heels you'll be the most graceful one stepping over the rope and there are people behind us, so we can't go back." He makes a hilarious pout face as he says and I can help but laugh and acquiesce.

Nate puts out his hand to steady me but I slap it away, saying, "Don't insult me."

He chuckles and puts his hands up in surrender. Luckily, my dress flares out from the waist, otherwise this might not have been possible. The real challenge is bending down without exposing my bum or boobs or both. Keeping my shoulders back and my body upright, I bend my knees to lower myself to the ground. I purposely positioned myself, so the lighter would be to my side and not my front. If I leaned forward, the low v neck of my dress would have been a problem, so instead I am leaning to the side. As I make contact with the lighter, my long dark black hair falls over my shoulder, exposing the even lower back of my dress.

"Damn Lex, you really dressed to impress today," Nate jokes.

Lighter in hand, I rise back up flawlessly, proud of my flawless performance. I hand the lighter to Nate and am about to step back over the rope to get into line when a bouncer approaches me.

"Ma'am, please come to the front of the line," he says politely, "We are sorry to have kept you waiting."

I hide my confusion behind a mask of cool. They must think I'm someone important, but I'm not going to correct them. "I will need my friends with me."

"Of course."

Tony squeaks but Laura quickly slaps a hand over his mouth. I watch as my friends awkwardly make their way over the rope, not a single one performing the task near my level. We walk to the front of the line, and I make sure to sway my hips a little extra. Tony leans into my ear to whisper, "Slay girl."

I give him a flirty little smile as we enter the club and are given a booth. Once the bouncers gone we all lose our cool.

"OMG, that was epic," Laura squeals, "Lex, that was the sexiest thing I've ever seen. Now that you've unleashed your sexy side, we are never waiting in line again!"

"C'mon Laura. They probably think I am someone else on the guest list," I say in denial, "There is no way crouching to get a lighter got us into the club."

Nate follows up with, "There is no way you can call what you just did a crouch. Absolutely not, I won't allow it."

I just roll my eyes, trying to hide that I'm starting to feel shy. My goal hadn't been to get attention. I was really just trying to pick up the lighter without flashing anybody.

"Whatever," I say, then disappear onto the dance floor to shake the shyness coming on from all the attention.